Nigeria Times

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Innovation is an important force driving global development and a decisive factor in addressing the common challenges to humanity. It serve as a source of development at critical moments.

Digital technology, a pioneer in global sci-tech revolution and industrial reform, is seeping into every aspect of social and economic development, placing profound impacts on production, people’s life and social governance.

The G20 should shoulder responsibilities in the digital era, quicken the development of new types of digital infrastructure, promote deeper integration of digital technologies with the real economy, and help developing countries eliminate the digital divide, said Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Session I of the 16th G20 Leaders’ Summit.

He also stressed at the 28th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting that APEC economies need to commit themselves to innovation-driven development, harness the power of the digital economy as a new growth engine, and spread the fruits of digital technologies to more people in the region.

To eliminate the digital divide is a pressing task facing the whole world.

“The Light of Internet” Expo held at 2022 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit displayed how digital technology has contributed to agriculture, industry, governance and social life, and at the fifth China International Import Expo, multinational corporations presented the vitality of the prospering digital economy to the world through a number of new technologies, services and applications.

However, according to the International Telecommunication Union, there are still nearly 3 billion people have no internet access, and most of them are from the developing world.

China, working to implement the Global Development Initiative together with relevant parties and taking digital connectivity as a major field of cooperation, will help enhance the construction of digital infrastructure, narrow the global digital divide and promote common development.

To improve global digital governance is a common aspiration of all parties.

Facing the opportunities and challenges brought about by digitalization, the international community should enhance dialogue and communication, and deepen practical cooperation to build a cyberspace that is fairer and more equitable, more open and inclusive, safer and more stable, and more vibrant.

The vision of building a community witha shared future in cyberspace proposed by Xi conforms to the trend of digital development and that of human society. It responds to cyber risks and challenges, manifests the aspiration of the Communist Party of China to contribute to human progress and world harmony, and expresses the sincere hope of China to enhance cooperation with the rest of the world on cyber development and governance.

China believes that to effectively address the risks and challenges to data security, the world must uphold multilateralism, balance security and development, and ensure fairness and justice. It proposed a Global Initiative on Data Security and actively participates in digital economy governance cooperation under international and regional multilateral mechanisms, winning high recognition from the international community.

China is a major country in digital economy, as well as an important promoter of healthy and orderly development of digital economy. According to a research institute, China’s digital economy reached 45.5 trillion yuan ($6.46 trillion) as of 2021, ranking second in the world for years and accounting for 39.8 percent of the country’s GDP. Besides, China is the largest country in the world in terms of total e-commerce transaction and mobile payment volume.

So far, China has signed memorandum of understanding on building a Digital Silk Road with 17 countries and advanced the Silk Road E-commerce bilateral cooperation mechanism with 23 countries.

It has formulated and is implementing a joint China-Africa Partnership Plan on Digital Innovation in Africa, set up a China-ASEAN Information Harbor, and established dialogue mechanisms on e-commerce cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries and Central Asian countries.

Besides, it offers cloud services for African, Middle East and Southeast Asian countries, as well as other countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. It actively promotes cooperation on digital economy under the G20, APEC, BRICS, WTO and other multilateral frameworks.

By joining international cooperation on digital economy and vigorously enhancing information infrastructure, China has made important contributions to the development of the global digital economy.

Internet is shared by all people in this world. Therefore, it is the responsibility of all of humanity to develop, use, and manage the internet well and make it better benefit the world.

China is willing to work with countries around the world to blaze a global digital development path that features joint building and sharing of digital resources, vibrant digital economy, efficient digital governance, flourishing digital culture, effectively guaranteed digital security, and mutually beneficial digital cooperation, so as to accelerate the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace and contribute to world peace and the progress of human civilization.

By Yu Jianbin, People’s Daily

A Long March-7 Y6 rocket, carrying China’s cargo spacecraft Tianzhou-5, blasted off on November 12th from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan.

Later, the cargo craft conducted a fast automated rendezvous and docking with China’s Tiangong space station combination. It was the first time that Chinese astronauts witnessed the arrival of a cargo craft in the country’s space station.

It also marked the first delivery of supplies to the space station after the modules of the space station formed a basic configuration in T-shape.

This mission achieved fast automated rendezvous and docking within about two hours, setting a new world record.

The two-hour rendezvous and docking, reduced from 6.5 hours in previous operations, is of great practical significance for the long-term in-orbit operation of the Chinese space station.

The shortened delivery time makes it possible to send fresh products to space, and also enhances space rescue responding to emergencies. It indicates that China’s rendezvous and docking are more functional with maturer technology.

Tianzhou-5, the fifth mission of the Tianzhou-class unmanned cargo spacecraft, is fully sealed. As a “supply center” for China’s space station, the spacecraft can also change into semi-sealed and open modes to meet the demands of different missions.

It is currently the cargo spacecraft in service with the most powerful transport capability in the world, and also the most versatile craft of its kind in terms of in-orbit supporting capabilities.

It is reported that Tianzhou-5 is loaded with six months of supplies for the Shenzhou-15 crew of three astronauts, including food, medicines, propellant, experiment equipment, a science education satellite, hydrogen and oxygen-based fuel cells, and high energy particle detection facility.

It carries a total of 6.7 tons of supplies, including about 5.3 tons of life supplies and equipment, as well as 1.4 tons of propellant for the crew’s life support in space and the construction of the space station.

The successful launch of the Tianzhou-5 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, which is under the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, marked the 200th launch mission for the center. It makes the center the first one in China to have completed 200 launches.

It took the center 32 years to finish its first 100 missions, while the last 100 were completed in just six years.

The Xichang Satellite Launch Center, established in 1970, manages two launch sites in Xichang and Wenchang. No launch failure has happened at the Wenchang site since 2021, which completed missions of all three modules of China’s space station and four major cargo spacecrafts.

The Wenchang site has gradually enhanced its launching capacity for new-generation heavy-lift launch vehicles over the recent years. It has achieved a huge leap in China’s near-Earth orbit launch capacity from 10 tons to 25 tons and geosynchronous orbit launch capacity from 5.5 tons to 14 tons.

By Li Qiang, People’s Daily
Veiled in drizzle, the Tegalluar station in Bandung, Indonesia’s West Java province, saw the first bullet train of the Jakarta-Bandung High Speed Railway (HSR) pull into itself a few days ago.
Several young men were livestreaming this moment outside the construction site. Apart from construction workers, these video content makers were the busiest people in the recent days.
Eko Azza was one of them. He started recording the construction progress of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR six months ago, and has so far uploaded over 380 relevant videos, with the most popular one receiving nearly a million views.
His videos clearly present the development of the major engineering project – the erection of piers, box girders being hoisted, the pavement of crossties and rail tracks …
These videos earned Azza a huge number of followers. There are people waiting for him to update and leaving comments on his page every day.
The Jakarta-Bandung HSR is the first high-speed railway in Southeast Asia. It has attracted huge attention from the Indonesian people and become one of the hottest topics on Indonesia’s social media platforms.
Painted in silver and red on the outside with the abstract pattern of Komodo dragon, the heaviest lizard species on Earth and a treasure of Indonesia, the carriages of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR are nicknamed “Red Komodo” on the internet.
Many Indonesian internet users have left comments on Azza’s page, saying they are proud that the first “Red Komodo”HSR of Southeast Asia is in Indonesia and they can’t wait to board it.
Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. The heated discussion over the “Red Komodo” fully mirrors the profound significance of the Jakarta-Bandung HSR. The railway not only shortens the trip between Jakarta and Bandung, but also brings closer the Chinese and Indonesian peoples. It reflects the strong appeal and cohesion of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
China seeks not only its own development, and the BRI aims to achieve development that brings win-win outcomes to all countries that are willing to cooperate with China and finally realize harmony for the entire humanity.
It was during a state visit to Indonesia in 2013 that Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The two countries jointly promoted synergy between China’s BRI and Indonesia’s “Global Maritime Fulcrum” Vision, pushed forward major cooperation projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung HSR, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridors and the “Two Countries, Twin Parks.” Together, they have set a good example of major developing countries seeking to strengthen themselves through win-win cooperation.
From the China-Laos Railway to the Jakarta-Bandung HSR, from the Port of Piraeus to the Haifa Port, and from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor, the BRI has brought tangible benefits to participating countries over the past nine years and become a popular global public good.
Now, “Red Komodos” are standing by to welcome Indonesian passengers. This high-speed railway of win-win cooperation and long-term stability signifies the friendship between China and Indonesia. The two peoples will keep working together to build a more prosperous future.

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14, local time.

The two heads of state had an in-depth exchange of views on issues of strategic importance in China-U.S. relations and on major global and regional issues.

They highlighted the global significance of China-U.S. relations. Both stressed the importance of working out the guiding principles for China-U.S. relations. Both expressed the hope to put bilateral relations back on a steady and upward trajectory. They agreed to strengthen communication and exchanges, and advance practical cooperation. This has charted the course ahead for China-U.S. relations.

Head-of-state diplomacy is the compass and anchor of China-U.S. relations, and it plays an irreplaceable strategic role in guiding the growth of the relationship.

The meeting was very important. It featured three “firsts” for the two leaders – the first face-to-face meeting between Xi and his U.S. counterpart over the past three years, their first face-to-face summit since President Biden took office, and their first interaction after China and the U.S. completed their respective major domestic agendas this year. It was closely watched by the international community.

Their exchanges were comprehensive, profound, and candid, as well as constructive and of strategic importance. The meeting covered the most important aspects of the bilateral relations and the most pressing regional and global issues at the moment.

It has achieved the intended purpose of having in-depth communication, clarifying intentions, making clear where the red lines are, preventing conflicts, setting the direction, and exploring cooperation.

As two major countries, China and the U.S. should enhance their sense of responsibility when handling their relationship, which helps prevent China-U.S. relations from getting derailed or out of control and helps the two countries play their due roles in coping with global challenges.

The world is at a major inflection point in history. Countries need to both tackle unprecedented challenges and seize unprecedented opportunities. This is the larger context in which China and the U.S. should view and handle their relations.

Xi stressed that China and the U.S. need to have a sense of responsibility for history, for the world and for the people, explore the right way to get along with each other in the new era, put the relationship on the right course, and bring it back to the track of healthy and stable growth tothe benefit of the two countries and the world as a whole.

Biden said the U.S. and China have a shared responsibility to show the world that they can manage their differences, and avoid and prevent misunderstandings and misperceptions or fierce competition from veering into confrontation or conflict.

Both the history and reality of China-U.S. relations show that forming a correct perception of each other’s domestic and foreign policies and strategic intentions is a precondition for the two countries to handle their relations well.

The domestic and foreign policies of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government are open and transparent, with clearly stated and transparent strategic intentions and great continuity and stability.

China is advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, which heralds bright prospects of development and brings opportunities to the rest of the world.

China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace. It is committed to safeguarding the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order underpinned by international law. Adhering to peaceful development, open development and win-win development, the country will always contribute to the peaceful development of the world.

The U.S. regards China as “the most consequential strategic competitor” and “the most consequential geopolitical challenge.” It is a misperception of China-U.S. relations and a misunderstanding of China’s development. It will only mislead the two peoples and the international community.

It would be problematic if two major countries like China and the U.S. do not have overarching principled common understandings. Only with principles can there be a direction, and only with a direction can the two sides properly handle differences and expand cooperation. It is exactly out of this consideration that the Chinese side proposed that China and the U.S. should respect each other, coexist in peace, and pursue win-win cooperation, to ensure that their relations move forward on the right course without losing direction or speed, still less having a collision.

China always believes that China-U.S. relations should not be a zero-sum game where one side out-competes or thrives at the expense of the other. The successes of China and the U.S. are opportunities, not challenges, for each other. The world is big enough for the two countries to develop themselves and prosper together. Under the current circumstances, China and the U.S. share more, not less, common interests. It is in their mutual and fundamental interest to prevent conflict and confrontation and achieve peaceful coexistence. The two sides need to respect each other, pursue mutual benefit, focus on the larger picture, and nurture a sound atmosphere and stable relations for cooperation.

The U.S. side should put into practice the “five noes” (i.e., not seek a new Cold War; not seek to change China’s system; the revitalization of its alliances is not against China; not support “Taiwan independence”; not look for conflict with China) proposed by PresidentBiden, and fulfill its commitment not to seek decoupling from China, not to halt China’s economic development, and not to contain China.

As Xi said, observing the basic norms of international relations and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques is vitally important for the two sides to manage differences and disagreements and prevent confrontation and conflict; indeed, it is the most important guardrail and safety net for China-U.S. relations.

The Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.

Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese and China’s internal affair. China urges the U.S. side to match its words with action, abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, fulfill its commitment of “not supporting ‘Taiwan independence'”, stop fudging and hollowing out the one-China policy, restrain and stop “Taiwan independence” separatist rhetoric and activities, and prevent the situation from moving to a point of no return.

On issues of democracy and human rights, and social systems and paths, China and the U.S. must respect each other and avoid ideological confrontation and bloc confrontation. It represents the trend of the times and the common aspiration of the international community.

China-U.S. economic and trade relations benefit both sides. Starting a trade war or a technology war, building walls and barriers, and pushing for decoupling and severing supply chains run counter to the principles of market economy and undermine international trade rules. Such attempts serve no one’s interests.

The Chinese nation has the proud tradition of standing up for itself. Any suppression and containment will only strengthen the will and boost the morale of the Chinese people.

China has its own principles and red lines that it has long upheld, and has legitimate and lawful interests that must be firmly protected. China will not yield to any acts of hegemonism or bullying.

Managing and stabilizing China-U.S. relations is an ongoing process to which there’s no end. The Bali meeting will not only provide important, practical guidance for China-U.S. relations at the current stage, but will also have a major and far-reaching impact on the relationship in the next stage and even beyond.

In accordance with the priorities identified by the two heads of state, the two teams will maintain dialogue and communication, manage tensions and differences, and advance exchanges and cooperation, so as to add positive energy and a safety valve to China-U.S. relations, and bring about stability and certainty to this turbulent and changing world.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

By Liu Zhiqiang, People’s Daily

China has basically completed the construction of the framework of its expressway network after four decades of endeavors. The total mileage of the country’s expressways stands at nearly 170,000 kilometers, the longest in the world.

However, the country is still seeing unbalanced and inadequate development of its expressway network. Transport service capacity of some expressways built in the old days is on a decline.

To meet new demands and strengthen areas of weakness, China has accelerated its steps to expand and renovate its expressways.

Key technologies have been widely applied to connect new and old roadbeds, reinforce old bridges, and recycle pavement materials and safety facilities, said an official with the Ministry of Transport.

According to the official, China has approved over 70 projects of expressway expansion and renovation since 2016, with a total mileage of more than 6,000 kilometers.

Expressway expansion and renovation has played an positive role in improving road transport service and promoting regional development, as indicated by projects that were completed in the recent years.

For instance, a 248.7-kilometer section between Luzhai and Nanning along the Liuzhou-Nanning Expressway in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has been expanded to a two-way eight-lane road.

“The section was once the busiest expressway in Guangxi and the most jammed one on holidays,” said Zhu Zhiqin, vice general manager of the company responsible for the expansion project.

He told People’s Daily that the section’s traffic capacity has significantly improved thanks to the project. Nowadays, about 54,600 vehicles are running along the section per day on average, up 62.8 percent before the project was implemented.

The Nanjing-Hangzhou section of the G25 Expressway that connects the northeastern city of Changchun and Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province has significantly improved its capability in diverging traffic after a renovation project was implemented. The project effectively alleviated the traffic pressure of Hangzhou.

Due to limited capital, technology and cognitive level, some expressways built by China long ago were not very satisfying technically. Expansion and renovation projects can effectively improve the performance of these expressways and upgrade them in an intelligent manner, thus improving traffic safety, capacity and services, said Shi Liangqing, vice president of the Transport Planning and Research Institute under the Ministry of Transport.

According to relevant planning, China will renovate a number of busy expressways in its central and eastern regions such as the G2 Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, the G4 Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, the G25 Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway, the G60 Shanghai-Kunming Expressway and the G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway.